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Yahoo
4 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
RFK slams processed foods, pesticides, vaccines as harmful to kids in sweeping MAHA report
Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. blames ultra-processed foods, environmental chemicals, lack of physical activity, chronic stress and 'overmedicalization' for driving chronic diseases in U.S. children, according to a commission report published May 22. The 69-page report, titled 'Making Our Children Healthy Again,' also says these drivers are partly propelled by corporate influence and government lobbying. President Donald Trump signed an executive order to establish a commission to "Make America Healthy Again" during Kennedy's swearing in ceremony Feb. 13, and tasked it with investigating chronic illness and delivering an action plan to fight childhood diseases, starting with a report due within 100 days – which it hit just under the deadline. Trump, Kennedy and other administration officials touted the report during an afternoon event in the White House East Room. The president declared it marks "a historic milestone on our mission to make America healthy again.' Trump recounted his political alliance with Kennedy, a former Democrat and the nephew of Democratic President John F. Kennedy, who dropped his longshot independent campaign for president and endorsed the GOP candidate. "He came on board and we got very lucky," Trump said, telling Kennedy: "You really helped, and I want to thank you very much." In return, Trump put Kennedy in charge of the nation's health agencies, giving him license to turn his MAHA movement into government policy, despite criticism from the medical community about his views on vaccines and other issues. The MAHA Commission report marks Kennedy's broadest effort yet to put his stamp on federal health policy. 'At it's core this report is a call to action for common sense," Kennedy said. "We've relied too much on conflicted research, ignored common sense, or what some would call 'mother's intuition.'' MAHA commission members responsible for the report attended the event. They include Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins, Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin, Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Dr. Martin Makary and National Institutes of Health Director Dr. Jayanta Bhattacharya. In a call with reporters earlier in the day, Kennedy said the commission will work over the next 80 days to issue policy recommendations for the White House based on the report's findings. "This report is really … a diagnosis. The prescription comes in 100 days,' he said. The report takes a close look at the American diet and flags ultra-processed grains, sugars, fats and food additives as problems fueling chronic diseases. Authors say ultra-processed foods, or UPFs, replace healthier foods and encourage people to eat more. UPFs include foods like chips, cheeseburgers, French fries, soda, cake, candy and cookies. Research shows they may be linked to a number of health issues like childhood obesity, diabetes, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, cardiovascular disease and depression in women. They've also been associated with cognitive decline and cancer. The report also targets food additives such as artificial dyes, titanium dioxide, propylparaben, butylated hydroxytoluene and artificial sweeteners, such as aspartame, sucralose and saccharin. The World Health Organization concluded in a 2023 report that the 'occasional consumption' of aspartame − typically found in sugar-free drinks like Diet Coke − is generally safe. Kennedy has already begun his campaign against food dyes, announcing in a April 22 news conference that the administration plans to eliminate eight dyes from medications and food by the end of 2026. The dyes that will be phased out in less than two years are FD&C Blue Nos. 1 and 2, FD&C Green No. 3, FD&C Red No. 40, FD&C Yellow Nos 5 and 6. In the coming months, the process will begin to revoke authorization of Orange B and Citrus Red No. 2, according to the HHS. Report authors also flag environmental toxins and call for more research to study the health effects of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, microplastics, fluoride, electromagnetic radiation, phthalates, bisphenols and pesticides. Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, also known as PFAS or 'forever chemicals,' consist of more than 12,000 man-made chemical compounds used in consumer products such as non-stick, greaseproof and waterproof coatings and surfaces. PFAS don't easily decompose in nature and because of this, they build up in human bodies and might contribute to certain cancers and other serious health complications. Kennedy's push against fluoride – a naturally occurring mineral found in water, soil, air and various foods – has led to health regulators to remove ingestible fluoride supplements from the market. Fluoride has been added to the public water supplies for decades and dental products, such as toothpaste, as a dental cavities prevention measure. What are PFAS? 'Forever chemicals' are common and dangerous. So far, Utah and Florida are the only states that have banned fluoride from drinking water. Several other states like Kentucky, Louisiana and South Carolina have anti-fluoride bills on the table. The report calls out two herbicides – glyphosate and atrazine – and says an updated assessment on these common substances will be coming out in 2026. The primary exposure to glyphosate, which is used in weed killers like Roundup, occurs through food. Ahead of the report's publication, American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall expressed concern the report's findings could erode the public's trust in the U.S. food supply, 'limit farming practices based on unproven theories,' and risk 'reducing access to affordable and nutritious foods,' according to a statement published May 20. Agency heads assured on a call about the commission report that the nation's food supply is safe. "Farmers need the tools in the toolbox to continue to feed the world, but it doesn't mean we can't do better," Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said. In the report, authors argue that 'American children are on too much medicine' and criticize the childhood immunization schedule for encompassing more vaccines than Europe. The commission encourages larger clinical trials to look into the safety of childhood vaccines and potential links to chronic diseases. However, experts have said decades of evidence demonstrate the safety and benefits of these shots. Babies are supposed to receive vaccines that protect against about 15 different infectious diseases. Most require more than one dose, which amounts to nearly 30 jabs by age 2. Vaccine spreading: Babies get a lot of vaccines before they turn 2. Is it safe to spread them out instead? Report authors also said that less time spent outside in nature, and more time spent on screens and social media is contributing to the rise of negative physical and mental health outcomes in U.S. children. The commission said these outcomes are exacerbated by "overmedicalization," calling out medications that treat anxiety, depression and attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, or SSRIs, are commonly used medications that were called out in the report. SSRIs are approved by the FDA to treat a range of conditions such as anxiety, depression, bulimia nervosa, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and are used off-label to treat several others. On a call with reporters, NIH Director Dr. Jayanta Bhattacharya criticized the medical literature supporting certain treatments and how to use them in children, calling it a "replication crisis." "We have a crisis that requires rethinking almost every aspect of how we think about disease and the prevention of disease," he said. Contributing: Zac Anderson, Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy, USA TODAY; Reuters. Adrianna Rodriguez can be reached at adrodriguez@ This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: RFK Jr. HHS MAHA report targets processed foods, pesticides, vaccines
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Furious NYC moms rail against toxins in kid foods: ‘Shouldn't be so hard to protect your family'
Tara Ferrara's 7-year-old daughter began suffering from a baffling mix of symptoms four years ago — nausea, stomach pain and sudden, intense panic that struck without warning. As dozens of doctors worked to pinpoint the cause, they put the girl on a strict diet low in highly processed foods and free of gluten, dairy, corn, soy and histamines. For Ferrara, 39, figuring out what her daughter could safely eat was like trying to understand a foreign language. 'Sometimes I feel like I can't work because I literally need to research food,' Ferrara, a speech and language pathologist from Brooklyn, told The Post. Ultra-processed foods (UPFs) make up nearly 70% of calories in American kids' diets — and a jaw-dropping new White House report warns they may be fueling the nationwide rise in childhood chronic diseases. The Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) Commission's report marks the Trump administration's first major push to confront what it calls a 'crisis' affecting more than 40% of young people across the country. 'We will follow the truth wherever it leads, uphold rigorous science, and drive bold policies that put the health, development and future of every child first,' HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., said Thursday. Two New York moms raising children with chronic health issues told The Post that it can be an uphill battle to keep their kids' diets clean in a country where UPFs dominate supermarket shelves. While there's no single, universally accepted definition, UPFs are generally packaged, ready-to-eat products that undergo extensive industrial processing to boost their flavor, texture and shelf life. They're often loaded with added sugar, salt, unhealthy fats and refined grains — and packed with preservatives, artificial colors, flavors, emulsifiers and stabilizers not commonly used in home cooking. UPFs usually contain little to no fruits, vegetables or whole grains and are typically low in fiber and other essential nutrients. Researchers estimate that about 70% of the 300,000-plus branded food products in grocery stores fall into this category. Two years into the strict diet, Ferrara is still navigating the minefield — and slip-ups come with serious consequences. '[Food] really, really affects her and can trigger a flare-up where she's so uncomfortable gut-wise and brain-wise that she can't go to school,' said Ferrara, who co-owns Social City, which provides social support services for children. One recent mistake? The gluten-free, dairy-free pancakes her daughter eats every morning. Turns out they contain a corn-derived additive called maltodextrin — something Ferrara only discovered after calling the manufacturer. 'It was one of the ingredients that my eyes just skipped over, because I don't know what that is,' she said. 'Unknowingly, every morning I was giving her these gluten-free, dairy-free pancakes that actually have something that is highly inflammatory and ultra-processed.' The MAHA report warns that more than 2,500 food additives can be pumped into UPFs — all to enhance taste and texture and stretch shelf life. Some additives have been linked to serious health concerns, including behavioral disorders, metabolic issues and even cancer. Take Red 40, for example. This food dye is found in popular snacks like Skittles and Doritos, as well as drinks like Pepsi. It has been tied to increased hyperactivity and irritability in children, especially if they have ADHD, and can trigger allergic reactions in others. Meanwhile, research shows titanium dioxide, found in everything from candies to sauces, may damage cells and even DNA. Then there are artificial sweeteners like aspartame, sucralose and saccharin, which some studies suggest can disrupt the gut microbiome — a key player in metabolism, weight control and blood sugar regulation. Ferrara's younger daughter, 4, doesn't have food sensitivities — but keeping her diet clean is still a challenge. At school, playdates and other places outside the home, junk food is nearly impossible to avoid. 'She doesn't get directly affected immediately after she eats, but I know it's doing harm to her over the long term,' Ferrara said. 'Just because it doesn't outrightly show on every single person doesn't mean it's not doing the same damage internally.' According to the White House report, ultra-processed grains — found in cakes, cookies, breads and snack foods — dominate children's diets. These products are stripped of their bran and germ, removing essential fiber, vitamins and minerals. 'The stripping of these components can lead to blood sugar spikes, increasing the risk of Type 2 diabetes,' the report states. The sugar situation is just as grim. Ultra-processed sugars can be found in 75% of packaged foods. The average American consumes 17 teaspoons of added sugar a day — amounting to a whopping 60 pounds a year. This sugar overload — especially from high-fructose corn syrup and other additives — may be playing a 'significant role' in the nation's rise of childhood obesity, Type 2 diabetes and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, according to the report. But it's not just the ingredients — it's what industrial processing does to them. The MAHA report warns that processing alters fiber content, caloric density and digestibility in ways that can hijack hunger hormones, short-circuit satiety signals and damage the gut microbiome. 'It shouldn't be so hard to protect your family,' Ferrara said. 'They need to be more transparent with what's in the food, but also how it's processed.' Astoria mom Carissa Serralta has always strived to feed her kids a healthy diet — but it wasn't until one of her newborn twin daughters was diagnosed with a rare genetic disorder, MCAD deficiency, that she saw just how flooded grocery stores are with ultra-processed junk. The condition prevents her now 2-year-old, Mila, from properly metabolizing fats from seed oils like palm, coconut and avocado. 'Eighty to 90% of the brands you see on the shelf she can't have,' Serralta told The Post. 'It could be anywhere from pasta to tortillas to Cheez-Its.' That became a nightmare when she couldn't produce enough breast milk — and realized nearly all baby formulas on the market are loaded with seed oils. 'They say breast is best, but if you don't have milk for your baby and you have no choice but to give them formula, and the formula has bad ingredients, what do you do?' she mused. 'Your baby has to be fed.' Doctors told Serralta to give Mila tiny doses of seed oils to build tolerance for formula — but that led to months of relentless diarrhea. The MAHA report notes that seed oils have flooded the US food supply, overtaking animal-based fats like butter and lard in American diets over the past century. Finding safe foods has become 'a full-time job' for Serralta. Many of the items her daughter can eat aren't available locally, forcing her to shop online or cook everything from scratch. If Mila accidentally eats seed oil, it means an upset stomach, which Serralta said is painful but manageable. She is thankful it's not something more severe like a peanut or gluten allergy. The White House report highlights that childhood food allergies have soared 88% since 1997, while celiac disease in kids has jumped fivefold since the '80s. The diagnosis didn't just change what Mila eats — it transformed the rest of the family's eating habits. Serralta shudders at the thought of her older son previously eating ultra-processed snacks. 'It's almost a scary thought, because I was so unaware of this before I had the twins,' she said. And while she's no fan of the current administration, Serralta said she welcomes any effort to expand access to healthier foods. 'Less-processed foods have to be made available to all kids — it shouldn't just be online where people with lower incomes can't access it,' she said.
Fox News
23-05-2025
- Health
- Fox News
Doctors warn of 'trifecta' of chronic illnesses plaguing Americans after MAHA report
Chronic diseases have long been plaguing Americans, which HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has called an "epidemic." The MAHA Commission, which Kennedy chairs, released a report on Thursday assessing chronic diseases, particularly pertaining to children. An estimated 133 million Americans suffer from at least one chronic illness, according to the American Hospital Association. "The report shines a necessary spotlight on a crisis that has long been ignored: skyrocketing rates of obesity, diabetes, autoimmune disease, developmental issues and mental health challenges," Kelly McKenna, CEO of the coalition End Chronic Disease, who was at the White House for the release, told Fox News Digital. "Americans are living shorter, sicker lives despite record healthcare spending that exceeds that of other developed nations by orders of magnitude," she said. "The MAHA agenda confronts that disconnect head-on." McKenna added, "With Americans increasingly aware of the role that factors such as ultraprocessed foods, environmental toxins, stress, trauma and poor sleep play in chronic disease, the demand for action transcends partisanship." Andy Tanner, D.O., a family medicine physician in West Virginia, said he's seeing more chronic illnesses in patients, noting that his state is the "oldest and fattest in the country." He was also at the White House on Thursday. "The big things we see a lot are diabetes, hypertension and obesity, kind of 'the trifecta,'" he told Fox News Digital. Some 38.4 million Americans had diabetes in 2021, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), with excess sugar causing the common symptoms of fatigue, blurry vision, hunger and thirst. "Americans are living shorter, sicker lives despite record healthcare spending." Tanner works with his diabetic patients to change their diets and improve their blood sugar levels. "[But the] sad thing is, we're just surrounded by bad food," he said. "It's hard to make good choices of what we eat, and we're all guilty of it." Many people think of diabetes as being just a "sugar disease," he pointed out, but it can become a vascular issue as it progresses, often leading to coronary disease or stroke. The doctor noted that he is seeing "younger and younger" patients with diabetes. Over 350,000 children have been diagnosed with the disease, and its prevalence among teens is more than one in four, according to the MAHA report. Given its association with "bad food," diabetes goes "hand in hand" with obesity, according to Tanner. The MAHA report linked rising obesity rates with the consumption of ultraprocessed foods — which comprise nearly 70% of American children's calorie consumption. Tanner said obesity can lead to the diagnosis of other chronic illnesses, including hypertension (high blood pressure). "Sometimes people with hypertension come in and report fatigue, headaches, sometimes blurred vision, sometimes with their blood pressure very high," he told Fox News Digital. "They can have some very serious symptoms of stroke or heart attack." Hypertension is known as the "silent killer," Tanner said, because many people don't know they have the condition. In most cases, resolving chronic illnesses starts with getting regular physical activity and eating the right foods, Tanner said. "Diet and exercise are so important," he said. "Those are such easy things for physicians to prescribe, but it's much harder for patients to accomplish." He added, "[It's] sometimes difficult to come home and prepare a good, healthy meal, and it's easier to reach for things that are not healthy." Psychiatrist Daniel Amen, M.D., CEO of BrainMD in Los Angeles, was also in attendance during the MAHA report announcement. "Chronic illness devastates mental health," Amen told Fox News Digital. "It increases stress hormones that damage the brain, disrupts sleep (which turns off 700 health-promoting genes), and increases inflammation, which can lead to anxiety and depression," he cautioned. "If our bodies aren't healthy, our brains will never be." When it comes to diet, Amen suggested, "Only choose foods you love that love you back and are good for your brain." McKenna noted that the MAHA Commission's findings "affirm preventative solutions." "Better nutrition, cleaner food systems, and systematic transparency — as well as innovation — are not just possible, but urgently necessary to protect the health of our children and the future of the nation," she added.
New York Post
23-05-2025
- Health
- New York Post
More states to ban soda, junk food purchases with food stamps, Trump Agriculture secretary says
Department of Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said during a Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) event Thursday that the Trump administration is making history with its approval of numerous waivers that will eliminate junk food from food stamp programs. Rollins was in Nebraska on Monday to sign the first alongside Republican Gov. Jim Pillen. She has also signed a waiver for Indiana and Iowa, 'with half-a-dozen more coming down the line,' she said. 'We are on track to sign multiples of SNAP waivers to get junk food and sugary drinks out of our food stamp system,' Rollins said at the Thursday afternoon event, centering around the release of a 69-page report from the Trump administration's MAHA Commission on how to effect change around childhood chronic disease. 'That has never happened before under Republican or Democrat administrations,' Rollins added. 'We have never made that happen before. So I am so proud and so grateful.' 3 Department of Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said during a Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) event that the Trump administration plans to eliminate junk food from food stamp programs. FRANCIS CHUNG/POOL/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock On average, 42 million low-income Americans receive food stamp assistance each month, according to the MAHA report released at Thursday's event. It added that 1 in 5 American children under 17 receive SNAP benefits. 3 Modern food stamps are now distributed on electronic cards. Jeff Day With Nebraska's waiver, it became the first state in the nation to bar recipients of federal food stamp programs from using the money to buy junk food, soda and other high-sugar items. The exemption will begin as a two-year pilot program, local media reported. Other GOP-led states, including Texas and West Virginia, have applied for this waiver. 'SNAP was created to increase access to nutritious food; however, many SNAP purchases are for food with little to no nutritious value,' Texas GOP Governor Greg Abbott wrote in a letter to Rollins requesting a waiver last week. 'Under the Trump administration, for the first time since the program was authorized, states can take steps to eliminate the opportunity to buy junk food with SNAP benefits and assure that taxpayer dollars are used only to purchase healthy, nutritious food.' 3 Nebraska became the first state in the country to ban junk food from federal food stamp programs. West Virginia's Governor Patrick Morrisey, one of the leaders requesting a waiver, has also been spearheading other MAHA efforts in his state. In March, Morrisey signed House Bill 2354 into law, which made it the first state in the nation to begin prohibiting certain synthetic dyes and additives used in food items sold in the state.
The Herald Scotland
23-05-2025
- Health
- The Herald Scotland
RFK Jr. HHS MAHA report targets processed foods, pesticides, vaccines
President Donald Trump signed an executive order to establish a commission to "Make America Healthy Again" during Kennedy's swearing in ceremony Feb. 13, and tasked it with investigating chronic illness and delivering an action plan to fight childhood diseases, starting with a report due within 100 days - which it hit just under the deadline. Trump, Kennedy and other administration officials touted the report during an afternoon event in the White House East Room. The president declared it marks "a historic milestone on our mission to make America healthy again." Trump recounted his political alliance with Kennedy, a former Democrat and the nephew of Democratic President John F. Kennedy, who dropped his longshot independent campaign for president and endorsed the GOP candidate. "He came on board and we got very lucky," Trump said, telling Kennedy: "You really helped, and I want to thank you very much." In return, Trump put Kennedy in charge of the nation's health agencies, giving him license to turn his MAHA movement into government policy, despite criticism from the medical community about his views on vaccines and other issues. The MAHA Commission report marks Kennedy's broadest effort yet to put his stamp on federal health policy. "At it's core this report is a call to action for common sense," Kennedy said. "We've relied too much on conflicted research, ignored common sense, or what some would call 'mother's intuition.'" MAHA commission members responsible for the report attended the event. They include Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins, Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin, Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Dr. Martin Makary and National Institutes of Health Director Dr. Jayanta Bhattacharya. In a call with reporters earlier in the day, Kennedy said the commission will work over the next 80 days to issue policy recommendations for the White House based on the report's findings. "This report is really ... a diagnosis. The prescription comes in 100 days," he said. RFK MAHA report targets ultra-processed foods, food dyes, sweeteners The report takes a close look at the American diet and flags ultra-processed grains, sugars, fats and food additives as problems fueling chronic diseases. Authors say ultra-processed foods, or UPFs, replace healthier foods and encourage people to eat more. UPFs include foods like chips, cheeseburgers, French fries, soda, cake, candy and cookies. Research shows they may be linked to a number of health issues like childhood obesity, diabetes, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, cardiovascular disease and depression in women. They've also been associated with cognitive decline and cancer. The report also targets food additives such as artificial dyes, titanium dioxide, propylparaben, butylated hydroxytoluene and artificial sweeteners, such as aspartame, sucralose and saccharin. The World Health Organization concluded in a 2023 report that the "occasional consumption" of aspartame - typically found in sugar-free drinks like Diet Coke - is generally safe. Kennedy has already begun his campaign against food dyes, announcing in a April 22 news conference that the administration plans to eliminate eight dyes from medications and food by the end of 2026. The dyes that will be phased out in less than two years are FD&C Blue Nos. 1 and 2, FD&C Green No. 3, FD&C Red No. 40, FD&C Yellow Nos 5 and 6. In the coming months, the process will begin to revoke authorization of Orange B and Citrus Red No. 2, according to the HHS. What RFK report details about ingesting pesticides, environmental chemicals Report authors also flag environmental toxins and call for more research to study the health effects of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, microplastics, fluoride, electromagnetic radiation, phthalates, bisphenols and pesticides. Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, also known as PFAS or "forever chemicals," consist of more than 12,000 man-made chemical compounds used in consumer products such as non-stick, greaseproof and waterproof coatings and surfaces. PFAS don't easily decompose in nature and because of this, they build up in human bodies and might contribute to certain cancers and other serious health complications. Kennedy's push against fluoride - a naturally occurring mineral found in water, soil, air and various foods - has led to health regulators to remove ingestible fluoride supplements from the market. Fluoride has been added to the public water supplies for decades and dental products, such as toothpaste, as a dental cavities prevention measure. What are PFAS? 'Forever chemicals' are common and dangerous. So far, Utah and Florida are the only states that have banned fluoride from drinking water. Several other states like Kentucky, Louisiana and South Carolina have anti-fluoride bills on the table. The report calls out two herbicides - glyphosate and atrazine - and says an updated assessment on these common substances will be coming out in 2026. The primary exposure to glyphosate, which is used in weed killers like Roundup, occurs through food. Ahead of the report's publication, American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall expressed concern the report's findings could erode the public's trust in the U.S. food supply, "limit farming practices based on unproven theories," and risk "reducing access to affordable and nutritious foods," according to a statement published May 20. Agency heads assured on a call about the commission report that the nation's food supply is safe. "Farmers need the tools in the toolbox to continue to feed the world, but it doesn't mean we can't do better," Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said. Kids are on 'too much medicine,' MAHA report says In the report, authors argue that "American children are on too much medicine" and criticize the childhood immunization schedule for encompassing more vaccines than Europe. The commission encourages larger clinical trials to look into the safety of childhood vaccines and potential links to chronic diseases. However, experts have said decades of evidence demonstrate the safety and benefits of these shots. Babies are supposed to receive vaccines that protect against about 15 different infectious diseases. Most require more than one dose, which amounts to nearly 30 jabs by age 2. Vaccine spreading: Babies get a lot of vaccines before they turn 2. Is it safe to spread them out instead? Report authors also said that less time spent outside in nature, and more time spent on screens and social media is contributing to the rise of negative physical and mental health outcomes in U.S. children. The commission said these outcomes are exacerbated by "overmedicalization," calling out medications that treat anxiety, depression and attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, or SSRIs, are commonly used medications that were called out in the report. SSRIs are approved by the FDA to treat a range of conditions such as anxiety, depression, bulimia nervosa, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and are used off-label to treat several others. On a call with reporters, NIH Director Dr. Jayanta Bhattacharya criticized the medical literature supporting certain treatments and how to use them in children, calling it a "replication crisis." "We have a crisis that requires rethinking almost every aspect of how we think about disease and the prevention of disease," he said. Contributing: Zac Anderson, Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy, USA TODAY; Reuters. Adrianna Rodriguez can be reached at adrodriguez@
